Chapter 123

Kim Jeong-hyun is an awkward girl in many ways.

Having grown up her whole life as a potted plant in a greenhouse, she has an absolute lack of ‘experience’.

Although her will and execution abilities are objectively quite high, there are times when her upbringing in a grand tiled house holds her back.

“She’s a typical rich girl, isn’t she?”

As she dedicates her time to things she isn’t used to, her clumsiness becomes apparent.

Or rather, her inexperience.

This clumsiness and inexperience are what Kim Jeong-hyun is most ashamed of.

After all, she had never made a solid mistake like confusing the meaning of the word ‘love’ during her life as a ‘young lady’ or unintentionally confessing her feelings.

Perhaps because she has always been placed in a position where others upheld her, Kim Jeong-hyun pays attention to her image as a young lady.

As a result, there are times when she feels embarrassed and reddens her face due to outcomes that are entirely different from her thoughts or intentions, caused by her awkwardness.

The emotions that Ha Eun, who plays Kim Jeong-hyun, has to portray also include this embarrassment.

“Embarrassment…”

Perhaps it is because she has never acted out the feeling of embarrassment before.

Or perhaps she has no substantial resistance to the feeling of embarrassment itself.

Lost in thought, Ha Eun pondered over the new emotion she could only properly grasp yesterday.

It seems there were no mistakes in her shy performance when she saw Baek Tae-hoon’s positive reaction.

But understanding the feeling of embarrassment is a different story.

After all, feeling and understanding new emotions is not something Ha Eun is particularly familiar with.

Every time she stepped into an unfamiliar gray area like now, her thoughts tended to multiply.

It was simply because the aftertaste of acting lingered a bit longer than usual.

The embarrassment that had been overlaying Ha Eun until a moment ago showed no signs of leaving.

“…Did I get too immersed?”

She tried shaking her head left and right to shake off the flush in her face.

She wanted to stir and erase the embarrassing memories from the previous night that had been floating around like soap bubbles without her noticing.

Nevertheless, the tumult of emotions took a while to settle.

It seemed she had inadvertently heightened her emotions a bit too much, as it was her first time acting out the feeling of embarrassment.

At this point, only one minute remained until the next scene was to be shot.

As she continued to ponder deeply,

– The sound of footsteps.

Eventually, she stood in front of the camera in a somewhat emotional state.

Kim Jeong-hyun’s unrefined appearance, unable to calm down since the love turmoil, was to be acted in a more raw form.

For now, she planned to conjure the feeling of embarrassment to the maximum that Ha Eun could create.

After all, Kim Jeong-hyun’s heart must be filled with embarrassment towards Park Ju-ho.

Therefore, she aimed to portray the moment Kim Jeong-hyun first realizes that Park Ju-ho is a rational being more vividly.

Personally, Ha Eun wanted to determine how far she could handle the emotion of embarrassment.

“I should probably ask for cake.”

Due to the fatigue that came with not being able to control that level of emotion, Ha Eun decided to ease it with a sweet piece of cake.

Afterward, the scene following Kim Jeong-hyun’s love turmoil began shooting with Director Kwon Jae-hyuk’s action signal.

“Tch, why was the old man so enraged over a minor scratch, yet so silent about a gunshot?”

“It’s only because I know it’s my fault… I hope you do not share the truth you know.”

Currently, the information regarding Kim Jeong-hyun’s gunshot wound is that it was caused by an accidental discharge during a hunt, not an assassination of pro-Japanese figures.

As a result, Kim Jeong-hyun’s grandfather, Kim Ja-gyeom, confined her to the inner quarters of the tiled house under the pretext of treatment.

The fact that Park Ju-ho was allowed to enter and leave Kim Jeong-hyun’s room was also intended to keep Kim Jeong-hyun inside the house.

It was better to read an American book indoors than risk another accident while shooting outside.

However, as Park Ju-ho continued his charade as her English teacher,

“Why do you keep repeating just the letter L?”

“Ah, it’s because I haven’t perfected it yet. It’s certainly not for any other reason!”

The time Kim Jeong-hyun and Park Ju-ho spent alone in the small room continued.

Given that Kim Jeong-hyun couldn’t shake the love incident from her mind, she became increasingly observant of Park Ju-ho.

From one day on, she began to pay more attention to Park Ju-ho’s gaze than the letters in her textbooks.

She became more curious about what Park Ju-ho was thinking than the types of English words in the American books.

To Kim Jeong-hyun, Park Ju-ho was a person whose meaning she could never quite define.

Though he often exhibited dissatisfaction during every interaction with her, he never cut off or discarded his connection with her.

On a day when Kim Jeong-hyun’s wound temporarily flared up, Park Ju-ho went so far as to bring a skilled doctor himself as kindness.

Perhaps that’s why.

“Let’s set aside the alphabet for today. Wouldn’t you tell me about yourself instead?”

As time passed, she decided to confront her increasingly confusing feelings towards Park Ju-ho head-on.

She resolved to delve deeper into who Park Ju-ho truly was to clarify exactly what kind of person he was to Kim Jeong-hyun.

Ultimately, what Park Ju-ho faced was the slightly turned head of Kim Jeong-hyun.

Nevertheless, cautious glances from both, still directed toward Park Ju-ho.

As she lowered her gaze momentarily, she unconsciously discovered her little fingers fidgeting.

This was the point at which Kim Jeong-hyun’s confusing emotions began to be conveyed.

“Thinking back, I’ve always asked you for things, but I haven’t really gotten to know you, have I?”

In her voice laced with a trace of trembling, feelings of apology, suspicion, and affection for Park Ju-ho could be sensed simultaneously.

With a tangle of emotions that Kim Jeong-hyun herself didn’t know how to manage, she showed all her complicated feelings.

Like she was asking Park Ju-ho to do something about it, her wavering emotions were met with Baek Tae-hoon’s cold detachment.

He firmly established that he had no intention of closing the distance between himself and Kim Jeong-hyun.

“…I doubt it’d be an interesting story.”

Thus, after evading the pursuers chasing the young Park Ju-ho, she headed toward the distant country of America.

The dark memories of having to endure various hardships in a foreign land where she couldn’t even communicate shared with Kim Jeong-hyun.

Almost simultaneously, her small mouth that opened slowly spoke.

“You’ve come across an unhealed wound, haven’t you? …What should I say?”

A slightly different kind of embarrassment than during the love turmoil came through.

The moment Kim Jeong-hyun sincerely apologized, Park Ju-ho’s eyes wavered for a moment.

“In the end, everything is my fault for brushing your hand away. You’ve managed to bear with it all until now….”

Just like last time, Kim Jeong-hyun was embarrassed in front of Park Ju-ho.

However, unlike last time, when she immediately added excuses, this time, there were no excuses or explanations given.

“…From now on, I’ll let you have your way. You don’t have to come back to this house. I’ll tell my grandfather myself.”

After all of Kim Jeong-hyun’s choices were handed over to Park Ju-ho, something within Park Ju-ho’s heart began to change slowly.

It was what he had wholeheartedly believed would never change after facing his parents who were beaten to death.

Very slowly, little by little.

From that day onward, there were many changes, and the missionary Hanson Arnold, who was both Park Ju-ho’s benefactor and Kim Jeong-hyun’s companion, began to visit her as well.

Though it was also an inevitable choice by Kim Ja-gyeom to keep Kim Jeong-hyun close.

“Everyone admires the young lady. Particularly, Mr. Kim praised her highly.”

“Comrade Kim? Really?”

“Yes.”

As a result, Kim Jeong-hyun ended up confronting the liaison between herself and the other volunteers, brought directly before her by Kim Ja-gyeom.

Because the missionary sincerely cared for Joseon, he was a close collaborator with the volunteers.

Of course, Park Ju-ho, who was watching the conversation between Kim Jeong-hyun and Hanson Arnold, did not feel pleased with the situation.

He could only endure showing discomfort in front of his benefactor, who saved his young life.

“…Why are you so anxious to step forward? Wouldn’t it be more comfortable for you to remain sheltered in your grandfather’s embrace?”

“Someone has to do it.”

“It doesn’t have to be you.”

“Others didn’t need to be volunteers either. They all did it because they thought it was their own job.”

I’m the same.

At Kim Jeong-hyun’s murmured remarks, Park Ju-ho’s expression took on a more complicated form.

Despite having been given the choice to find her, the choice to continue visiting Kim Jeong-hyun came purely from Park Ju-ho’s will.

He still wished that Kim Jeong-hyun would not stray from the path of the volunteers.

The reason was that if he let her remain on that path, he would continue to worry about her in the future.

However, he knew very well that no words could sway Kim Jeong-hyun’s will.

On the day a report came that her fellow volunteers were in danger,

“I don’t care about myself, but can’t I at least help them?”

With her head bowed low in shame, shaped by guilt,

Even so, she couldn’t ignore the trembling voice that asked for Park Ju-ho’s help once again.

The girl who was ashamed of her past took on another embarrassment for the sake of the grand cause of freedom.

As a result, even Park Ju-ho, who had been skeptical about Joseon, couldn’t help but let his gaze shift towards that freedom.

In the end, at the very end,

“…Hah.”

– The sound of a gun being cocked.

She set out on a journey to save the volunteers in place of Kim Jeong-hyun, who couldn’t go outside her house.

The threatening revolver, which had always been empty, was finally loaded with bullets after a long time.

*

“Today, I was quite sharp in my acting. Good job.”

Baek Tae-hoon’s voice seemed pleased with the shoot that ended in one take without any NG.

After taking a moment to catch her irregular breath, Ha Eun briefly returned the gesture of gratitude for a hard day’s work.

It was after that that Ju Jung-yun approached, having bought the small piece of cake that Ha Eun had asked for.

Finally, after biting into the soft cake and gradually melting it in her mouth, the heaviness in her chest began to dissipate.

However, it had been quite a while since she received a request to get sweet cake.

From Ju Jung-yun’s perspective, it was only natural to be curious about the reason why Ha Eun had performed so emotionally despite enduring her own stress.

Thus came the question.

“Did you confess your love to Baek Tae-hoon or something?”

Since she was aware of the general couple pairing in <The Sunshine> as Ha Eun’s manager, it was a plausible question.

However, the response that actually came back from Ha Eun was more negation than affirmation.

“Throughout the shoot, I did feel shy, but I haven’t confessed my love yet.”

“And?”

“Hmm…. I guess I would say I sent a love call until he accepts it?”

It seemed a bit overly emotional, but.

Ju Jung-yun interrupted Ha Eun’s self-feedback to suggest finishing the cake first.

She knew all too well that when Ha Eun looked for sugary treats, it meant she needed to calm her emotions forcibly.

Next followed a discussion not about <The Sunshine>, but about <Infinite Challenge Music Show>.

Ju Jung-yun maintained this change of subject until they climbed into her van, ensuring Ha Eun’s eyes would drift away from <The Sunshine>.

“This recording will involve all kinds of mini-games, so dress comfortably.”

“Can I wear training clothes then?”

“…Even so, it’s a bit excessive to be that comfortable.”

Not long after, Ju Jung-yun explained the outfit details for the recording day of <Infinite Challenge Music Show>.

All the clothes were to allow for some degree of free movement while also displaying elegance and beauty as a female artist.

However, as someone who knew Ha Eun’s physical abilities better than anyone else,

“It’s a real disaster if your clothes rip. Don’t overdo it, okay?”

“…………Yes.”

“Oh, why didn’t your response come right away? If you keep this up, I’ll have to dress you like in a dress!”

“Okay, I got it. I’ll keep it reasonable….”

Ju Jung-yun warned Ha Eun multiple times to prevent the potential damage to her outfit from her heightened enthusiasm.

Nevertheless, Ju Jung-yun’s nagging continued right up until <Infinite Challenge Music Show> recording day.

This was due to the fact that the competitors in the mini-games, just like Ha Eun, were all immensely popular idols or solo male singers.

Even considering the fixed members of <Infinite Challenge>, female singers appearing as guests like Ha Eun shouldn’t become victims of her extreme passion.

“When I was young, if a male idol even slightly touched a female guest, it caused a scene where they would go to the front door to curse at them.”

“Come on, it can’t be that serious….”

“It really happened.”

About an hour after that, the recording of <Infinite Challenge Music Show> began.

Seong Yoo-seok, who had just raised the mic, briefly summarized several episodes that had occurred during the preparation process for the show.

However, still echoing in Ha Eun’s ears was Ju Jung-yun’s urgent plea to please be gentle.

“Alright, if you don’t play, you lose, rock-paper-scissors─!”

As the game for determining the order of performances at the Gocheok Sky Dome started, her concentration was slightly thrown off.

In contrast to Ha Eun, one male singer who was her opponent immediately recognized he had lost at rock-paper-scissors.

– Tap!

He quickly flipped a defensive bowl onto his head.

The moment the male singer realized something was off was as his stainless steel bowl clashed violently with Ha Eun’s hammer.

– Bang!!

The sound of something solid colliding filled the recording studio of <Infinite Challenge Music Show>.

The stainless steel bowl, which should have adequately blocked Ha Eun’s attack, had its center slightly dented inward.

Yet, for some reason, what came from Ha Eun, who seemed disappointed, was.

“Hmm, I think I need to pick up the speed a bit next time….”

Indicating that there was absolutely no hint of doubt in her mind.

“Stop, time! Can we switch players?!”

The male singer, who desperately needed to survive, wanted to make his fellow singers the scapegoat.

He had just been struck by Ha Eun’s hammer and was momentarily dazzled by the burst of sparkling stars in his vision.

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